This application claims the priority of German application 196 11 541.8-21 filed in Germany on Mar. 23, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an airbag for motor vehicles having an airbag sheath and an inner airbag that is inflated before the airbag sheath and is designed by virtue of its shape for filling with gas in a specific direction.
An airbag in a motor vehicle is known from German Patent Document DE 43 08 387 A1 in the sheath of which airbag a gas flow guiding part is provided in the form of an inner airbag or a wide internal belt. The inner airbag is filled before the airbag sheath and is intended to guide the incoming gas stream transversely with respect to the front of the airbag sheath and toward its side parts first, expanding the diameter of the airbag sheath rapidly, with expansion in the direction of the passenger taking place only later.
German Patent Document No. DE 92 11 421 U1 describes an airbag comprising an inner airbag that is blown up first and remains filled longer. Hence the airbag sheath serves as protection for the primary impact while the inner airbag is intended to catch the passenger in a secondary impact.
An airbag with an airbag sheath and an inner airbag is known from European Patent Document EP 0 496 566 A1, said inner airbag serving to protect the airbag sheath from incoming hot gases.
European Patent Document EP 0 593 172 A1 describes an airbag with two chambers divided by a chamber partition in the form of a restraint, with a first chamber initially expanding in the direction of the passenger in a collision in order to catch his upper body. Then gas passes through the valves provided in the chamber partition and into the second chamber as a result of the continued pressure rise in the airbag, said second chamber, when inflated, capturing the head and shoulders of the passenger.